Former Manchester United defender Phil Jones has told Senne Lammens what he needs to do to find success at Old Trafford.
The goalkeeping department have been a problematic area for the Red Devils since David De Gea’s departure a couple of years ago. They decided to replace the Spaniard by signing Andre Onana from Inter Milan for a big fee.
Altay Bayindir was signed to support the Cameroonian. However, Onana has struggled to showcase his best in the Premier League, making several high-profile errors.
As a result, Ruben Amorim has given Bayindir opportunities to claim the No.1 spot, but the Turkish international hasn’t looked solid enough. So, United have decided to sign Lammens from Royal Antwerp.
Gianluigi Donnarumma and Emiliano Martínez were linked with a move to Old Trafford this summer, but the club’s hierarchy eventually opted to sign the 23-year-old for a fee of around £22m on deadline day.
Now, on BBC Sport, Jones says that to become Man Utd’s first-choice goalkeeper, Lammens needs to have ‘rhino skin’; moreover, he has to be calm and commanding in claiming crosses.
Lammens told secrets of success
The ex-defender further states that goalkeeping mistakes are infectious, often unsettling the entire defensive line. The United shirt is heavy, and players with specific characteristics can find success in it.
Jones said:
“To be the number one at United you need to have rhino skin. The Manchester United shirt is a heavy one to wear. What is absolutely paramount is that the goalkeeper is calm and can deal with certain situations. He needs to be commanding and not be flapping at crosses.
“If a goalkeeper makes a mistake, it becomes infectious very quickly and spreads through the defensive unit. If a goalkeeper made a mistake, it was almost like you couldn’t get it out of your system until the next game.”
Following Lammens’ arrival, United have decided to loan Onana to Turkish side Trabzonspor, and he is said to receive a salary hike there. So, Amorim has currently been left with Lammens and Bayindir as the main goalkeeping options, with Tom Heaton as the third choice option.
Lammens showcased his shot-stopping prowess for Royal Antwerp last term, preventing around 15 goals with a 77% saving rate in the Belgian league.
So, it is going to be interesting to see whether the 6ft 4in tall goalkeeper can manage to become United’s reliable No.1 over the coming times.
